


Coming Home

by morningssofgold



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:54:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21874747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morningssofgold/pseuds/morningssofgold
Summary: Dani always takes care of Malcolm so he decides to do something nice for her in return post 1x10.
Relationships: Malcolm Bright/Dani Powell
Comments: 27
Kudos: 104





	Coming Home

“Good morning, Sunshine!” his mother’s too cheerful for 7:30 a.m. voice rang throughout the apartment. Malcolm groaned. Most people at least called to tell you that they were in the neighborhood. Jessica Whitly was not most people.

“Hello, Mother. To what do I owe the pleasure?” Malcolm said dryly. Thankfully, he was already in the kitchen, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He knew he would likely need all of his wits about him for this conversation.

“Save the sarcasm, dear. I won’t be staying,” Jessica made her way to him, her heels clacking across the hardwood, sounding unsettlingly like gunshots. Malcolm sat down at the island. He hoped that the sooner she stated her business, the sooner he could start his day. He had to get ready for work and he didn’t feel like hearing for the thousandth time just how much she hated him working for the NYPD. 

His mother’s unannounced visits had multiplied since he’d been kidnapped, despite the fact that well over five months had passed and he really was doing fine, better than fine actually, “I just stopped by to let you know that the charity gala I’m hosting is next Saturday.”

“You know my phone still works, right?” Malcolm held up the latest iteration of the Samsung Galaxy for emphasis.

Jessica’s smile was all teeth and no humor, “You never answer when I call.” She had him there. “Anyway, I will be expecting your attendance.”

“What about Ains–?” She held up a freshly manicured hand, cutting him off mid-sentence. Clearly, the both of them were still not on good terms due to the fallout from Ainsley’s interview with their father. One of the only positive things to come out of being kidnapped for almost three days was that Malcolm had largely been left out of their issues with each other. He figured that whenever his mother and sister were ready to put their respective pride aside to really talk to each other, they would.

“As I was saying, I am expecting you to attend and there will be lots of eligible young ladies there,” Jessica nearly sung that last part and he could practically see the gears turning in his mother’s head. She had all but orchestrated a prior situation of his and out of desperation, he had allowed it. He was far beyond that sort of thing now.

“No,” Malcolm said firmly. His mother stared at him. Jessica Whitly didn’t do well with the word “no.” If he were being completely honest with himself, it was something he kind of inherited from her. “You are not setting me up with any more of your friends.”

“Just because one girl didn’t work out that doesn’t mean we can’t try again. It’s been ages,” she reminded him, starting to lose her patience.

“ _We_?” he echoed incredulously. Jessica ignored him and continued on. Malcolm loved his mother. He really did. She meant well–most of the time. He tolerated her utter lack of boundaries because he knew where it stemmed from. However, her meddling in his personal life wasn’t something he wanted nor needed. If he were going to attend this gala, it would only be with Dani. Not that his mother knew that, of course.

Jessica snapped her fingers in front of his face, her gold bangles jangling rhythmically, “Malcolm! Have you been listening to me?”

He broke out of his reverie, “Yes, of course. You were talking about…” He tried to recall something his mother had said before thoughts of Dani in an evening gown had distracted him. Malcolm wondered what type of dress Dani would wear. Knowing her the way he did, she’d likely opt for something elegant and timeless that clung to her petite frame. Probably something black as she preferred a neutral color palette in the same way he did.

 _Dani would look breathtaking in red_ , he thought out of nowhere.

“Oh, honestly, Malcolm!” Jessica threw her hands up in exasperation. As quickly as she’d gained her son’s attention, she lost it again. Her eyes narrowed as she noted the dreaminess clouding Malcolm’s eyes. She wondered if he had been taking his medication. Jessica gathered up her purse in a huff before turning on her heel to leave, “Look. Just show up on Saturday, look presentable and be the charming Milton man we both know you are. None of that murder nonsense.”

“I’ll do my best,” he saluted her with his coffee mug.

His mother fixed him with a death stare. “See to it that you do,” her voice dropped an octave the way it always did when she meant business. 

––––––––––––––––––––––

“You good?” Dani asked, her hand lightly grazing his back as she walked to stand beside him at the whiteboard in the conference room. Malcolm had been intently staring at crime scene photos trying to stitch together a profile for their latest case before shifting his attention to his girlfriend. _His_ girlfriend. Malcolm could hardly believe he got to call her that. He had confessed his feelings for her over eight weeks ago. 

Malcolm never intended to tell Dani how he felt. He had been fully committed to being the suffer-in-silence type but the way she’d held him as he came down from a night terror made him want more. He knew that opening himself up in that way meant that he could get hurt. The problem was that he had already been hurt–several times. The possibility of relief from all of the pain and loneliness that had long lived with him was too much to ignore.

It wasn’t that he didn’t fear Dani’s rejection–he expected it. Malcolm wouldn’t have been at all surprised if Dani left him like everyone else did but at the time, he felt so completely hollowed out with nothing left to give after his father and Paul Lazar had taken so much from him. Truthfully, they still took from him even now but right then, he’d really needed somebody.

 _Dani_ was his somebody and she probably had been since the first time she helped him into his restraints, reassuring him that it wasn’t the weirdest thing she’d ever seen. Malcolm realized that he had been spacing out without actually answering her question, “Yeah, of course.”

She raised a brow but said nothing. “Actually no. I’m not. My mother is forcing me to attend her charity gala next weekend,” he admitted, making a face.

Dani’s lips quirked up in amusement, “She’s forcing you?” She had never known Malcolm Bright to do anything he didn’t want to. 

He sighed, “When you wrongfully accuse your mother of being a coconspirator to murder, you tend to lose all leverage.”

“ _Okay_ ,” Dani didn’t exactly know what to do with that one, yet she oddly wanted to know more. Malcolm smiled crookedly at the questions written all over her pretty face. There would be more than enough time to fully brief her on Whitly family dysfunction. Dani had seen a lot and had never run from him once. Being exposed to the Whitlys and all of their everything might just make her run for the hills. Malcolm knew Dani had to meet his mother and sister formally at some point but ideally, he was hoping they would be engaged first.

He knew he was getting way ahead of himself, considering he hadn’t even told Dani that he loved her yet. Malcolm had been waiting for the right time and the perfect moment for that but the thought of proposing had been coming to him more and more. In all honesty, it was almost always on his mind. 

Malcolm loved that he could call Dani his girlfriend but the word never seemed to be enough for him. Girlfriends in his personal experience came and went. Partner wasn’t quite right either as he mostly thought of it in terms of their work relationship. Malcolm knew the only signifier that he’d truly be satisfied with was fiancée because in his mind, it was just one step closer to being able to keep her forever. 

He remembered how a few mornings ago, he awoke to Dani propped up on one elbow gazing down at him. The emotion in her beautiful brown eyes left him awestruck. Malcolm never imagined that someone, let alone a woman as incredible as Dani, would look at him that way like he’d hung the moon and all the stars. He’d joked that watching people sleep was “creepy.” She’d ignored him and said that she’d never seen him look so peaceful as her finger gently traced the lightening circles under his eyes. The impossible softness on her face never wavered for a moment. His chest had swelled with a love he could hardly contain and he knew right then what he had to do.

“Um…Bright,” Dani said, pulling him away from his thoughts once again. “I feel like I’m losing you today. Are you sure you’re okay?” She titled her head, appraising him. Checking to see if there was more going on with him than he let on as Malcolm had his good days but also his not-so-good days.

“I’m good, I promise.” Malcolm smiled, thankful that the thoughts that kept pulling him in were good ones and not the others that still kept him up most nights. “Say…you wouldn’t happen to have any plans next weekend, would you?”

“Bright,” she groaned, drawing his last name out to several syllables. She knew exactly where this was going. A charity gala with his mother and her friends wasn’t Dani’s idea of a good time. It wasn’t Malcolm’s idea of a good time either which was why he was asking her to go with him. Misery loved company after all.

“Dani, don’t say no,” Malcolm pleaded with her cutely, his hands clasped in the prayer position. His nearly translucent blue eyes wide and hopeful. If she thought he had been doing it on purpose, she’d scold him for using the puppy dog eyes on her. She hated how easily it worked. “Just think of it as another favor.”

She scoffed, “Bright, you owe _me_ so many favors.” 

“Oh…you’re right. I haven’t been pulling my weight but that will change.” The mischief on Malcolm’s too handsome face made her wonder just what she was getting herself into. He noticed her skepticism and squeezed her shoulders, pulling her a bit closer as he did, “Don’t worry, it’ll be good!” 

In that moment, Dani couldn’t help but think of that night in his apartment when he’d asked her to “dance.” She had been trying to rein him in after club drugs had exploded in his face. One moment, he had been jumping on furniture and shouting at her about axe throwing; the next moment, he’d gathered her in his arms, assuring her of his “good business.” _That_ Malcolm made surprising reappearances even when he was stone sober. 

“So about my earlier question…will you go with me?”

“Fine, I’ll go. But you owe me.” He bit his lip excitedly. She definitely saw _that_ Malcolm again.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

“What are you two whispering about in here?” They both turned to see Gil looking at them with arms crossed. Suspicion all over his face.

Gil knew that whatever those two were plotting, it couldn’t have been good. Malcolm attracted trouble just by breathing and Dani rarely let him face it alone. He’d once overheard Malcom tell Dani that “if you’re going to do something stupid, the smart thing is to bring a friend.” That was _not_ how the buddy system was supposed to work.

“Nothing,” they replied in unison and his suspicion increased tenfold.

“Really, Gil, it’s nothing for you to worry about,” Malcolm said. Gil didn’t believe him for a second. Whenever Malcolm said not to worry that meant he should’ve started worrying yesterday.

“I’ll be the judge of that.” Malcolm laughed and Dani rolled her eyes.

“Dani agreed to go with me to my mother’s charity gala next weekend and I am going to cook dinner for her tonight.” Dani’s head snapped in Malcolm’s direction, her curls bouncing in time with the movement. Her brows nearly met her hairline.

“You’re gonna do what now?” This was clearly news to her as Dani had never seen Malcolm cook anything before. He barely had food in his apartment. She turned her attention back to Gil, “How worried should I be?”

Gil chuckled, “Well, I don’t know. I seem to remember Jackie teaching him a few things back in the day.”

“See?” Malcolm smirked at Dani. “A little faith would be nice.”

“Bright, I swear if you give me food poisoning, I will kill you.”

“No, you won’t.”

With that, Gil turned to leave. The kids he never had were not about to get themselves killed–though it was still too early in the day to say for sure. Gil smiled to himself. He had known Dani most of her adult life and he practically had a hand in raising Malcolm. He knew they were kindred spirits and he was glad they’d finally realized it. Gil remembered that Malcolm had once likened Dani to Jackie though at the time they’d only just met. 

_If anyone deserves a Jackie, it’s definitely Bright_ , Gil thought to himself.

“What’s with Harry and Meghan over there?” JT angled his head toward the conference room where Malcolm and Dani were still bickering about their upcoming dinner plans.

Gil clapped his shoulder, “You don’t wanna know.”

––––––––––––––––––––––––

Eventually, Gil forced them all into productivity. He’d sent Dani and JT out to speak to a potential suspect. Malcolm had excitedly followed behind them before Gil pulled him back, banishing him to the conference room to continue working on his profile. Malcolm protested, explaining all the reasons why he’d be far more effective out in the field with the rest of the team. Gil ignored him, still opting to treat him with kid-gloves despite knowing that he was doing better.

Malcolm took a seat at the table feeling like he’d been put in timeout. The formaldehyde smell of Edrisa’s report, the one the bubbly Medical Examiner had hand delivered to him with a greeting of “O Captain! My Captain!” before snorting at her own _Dead Poets Society_ reference, perked him up a bit. As he scanned through the notes of the exceptionally creative way their victim had been killed, he was strangely and unrelatedly faced with the realization that he had no idea what Dani’s favorite food was.

He sat back in his chair. How was he supposed to cook for her, when he had no idea what she liked best? Obviously, he’d seen Dani eat before but he wanted to get this right. Malcolm wracked his brain for any food related conversations they might’ve had that would give him some insight on what he could prepare for her. The best he could do was foggily recall a time when they’d talked about grilled cheese and…crumble? He shook his head. That wouldn’t do.

He could always text Dani and ask her but that would ruin the surprise. Malcolm thought of texting Ainsley, asking her what she’d suggest. He thought better of it as his sister was a reporter after all and couldn’t hold water to save her life. Though his sister and mother weren’t really talking much at the moment, the information would undoubtedly get back to her, which was the last thing he needed. Malcolm honestly couldn’t remember the last time his family had a meal where someone didn’t storm out of the dining room in anger before the main course had been served. He wanted to wait awhile before he subjected Dani to that.

Dani was tough as nails and could handle anything thrown her way but there was still a part of him that wanted to protect her from any and everything Whitly related. Moreover, it wasn’t that his mother wouldn’t approve of Dani _per se_. Though he knew she’d have some thoughts about murder obsessed him being with a woman who solved murders for a living. All of those thoughts would be vocalized and he wasn’t sure how many of them would be polite. Malcolm also knew that Dani was absolutely nothing like the women his mother liked to set him up with–meaning, nothing like his mother herself and that would also raise some objections. He sighed. At the end of it, his mother was reasonable-ish and he knew that she’d come to accept anyone who made him happy and Dani made him happier than he’d ever been. Happier than he ever thought he could be.

Malcolm steepled his hands under his chin, once again going back to his dinner dilemma. His mind drifted once again. He had been seventeen or so at the time and he’d stayed over for dinner at Gil and Jackie’s for what was probably the millionth time. He’d sat in their warm, homey kitchen watching Jackie milling about as she cooked. “You know, the way to a girl’s heart is through her stomach,” she’d said conspiratorially as if she were letting him in on some big secret. He’d laughed, telling her how he didn’t think that’s how that saying went. She’d laughed too and ruffled his hair, “Of course it is, kiddo. And when in doubt, roast chicken.” 

_That’s it!_

He’d make Dani roasted chicken. It was fairly easy and he’d seen Jackie do it enough times that he felt certain that he could prepare it the way she used to. Malcolm hurriedly got up from the table and gathered his things. The best thing about consulting was that he was able to come and go as he pleased and no one asked questions. Due to his complicated personal and professional history; everyone at the precinct, outside of the team, gave him a wide berth anyway. He’d finish his profile later. Gil would understand. Truthfully, Malcolm wasn’t actually sure about that but it wasn’t like he was rushing off toward danger so Gil would at least be satisfied with that–he hoped.

––––––––––––––––––––––

After none of their leads panned out, Dani returned to the precinct to collect her things before heading home to get dressed for her dinner date with Malcolm. She popped her head in the conference room to check on him. Her heart rose to her throat when when she saw the room was empty. She immediately went on high alert whenever he wasn’t where he said he was going to be. 

Dani never told him this because Malcolm had a habit of shouldering guilt for things that were beyond his control but she had nightmares of the day she found him. They didn’t happen every night but they happened all the same. That day, Dani had disobeyed Colette Swanson’s orders, the malcontent FBI agent that had it out for her boyfriend. Dani didn’t care that Swanson had outranked her. Malcolm was out there suffering and she had to go to him. It was as simple as that. 

Dani remembered how still he was; lying on his side, chained to the ground. For several Earth-shatteringly horrible moments, Dani thought she had been too late. She thought that Paul Lazar had robbed her of the chance to truly get to know the first man she had willingly and fully given her trust to in a very long time.

 _I don’t think that’s true._ Those would’ve been her last words to him. 

Dani’s phone buzzed, taking her out of the dark place she’d wandered into. It was a text from Malcolm reminding her not to be late with a winking emoji. Her shoulders relaxed instantly and she started breathing again. Malcolm was safe. He was at his apartment attempting to cook for her. She smiled to herself. If his attempt didn’t go so well, she at least knew he had the ingredients to make grilled cheese.

––––––––––––––––––––––

Malcolm was trying very hard to not chop his fingers off as he carefully cut freshly washed Kale. Though his tremors weren’t acting up at the moment, he still didn’t have the steadiest hands. He wanted this night to be absolutely perfect and an impromptu trip to the hospital would make it decidedly less so.

Though he remembered watching Jackie roast chicken, he couldn’t exactly remember what she’d served it with. The grandmotherly woman who’d helped him at the grocery store suggested a Kale salad. She’d claimed that everyone loved Kale. Malcolm couldn’t attest to that personally but the suggestion sounded as good as any. The kindly woman had even shown him other ingredients to make it extra special when he’d confessed that he was cooking for his girlfriend for the first time.

“Wow, it actually smells good in here.”

He grinned, “I’m going to pretend to not be incredibly insulted by how surprised you sound.” He lifted his head briefly to acknowledge Dani’s entrance before turning his attention back to the cutting board. Malcolm’s head quickly snapped back up, making sure he’d seen her clearly.

Dani’s hair was piled on top of her head with her curls falling forward over her forehead. He remembered she called the style a pineapple when he’d once asked about it. She didn’t wear her hair that way often but he always thought she looked incredibly cute when she did. Malcolm also noted her soft looking sweater dress that fell to mid-thigh in a deep oxblood color. He was right. She did look breathtaking in red. Her makeup was simple though it always was and he honestly had never seen a woman more beautiful. “You look really nice,” he said feeling rather shy all of a sudden.

“Thanks,” she blushed and his smile widened. “What can I help you with?”

“Absolutely nothing. This is _me_ doing something nice for _you_ ,” he said as he put the Kale in a large wooden bowl, clearing off the cutting board. Dani rolled her eyes playfully before placing the bottle of wine she brought on the counter. She went over and wrapped an arm around him, kissing him gently in greeting. He smelled like fresh shower and the spicy French cologne he favored that she could hardly pronounce. His hair was also still a little damp and fell in his eyes as opposed to slicked back the way he normally wore it. “I love you,” he murmured against her lips. 

Malcolm had been holding onto those words for quite some time but he figured that now was as good a time as any to let her know how he truly felt about her. “Love you too,” she replied, punctuating the sentiment with another kiss.

“Hmm…that was easier than I imagined.”

“Really?” Dani went over and sat at the island to watch him finish up. “It was very sweet to hear but I already knew.” 

Malcolm blinked at her. He should’ve known but he was forever taken aback by how well she was always able to read him. “Was I that obvious?” He asked as he pushed a wine glass in her direction.

She grinned at him, “Yeah, Bright, I think you kinda gave it away when I punched you in the jaw that time and you were pleased by it.”

–––––––––––––––––––––––

Malcolm went back to mixing up his salad, adding in things like pecans and goat cheese. Things Dani didn’t ordinarily put in any salad she made for herself. She liked watching him in the kitchen. To her surprise, he seemed to know his way around and she wondered how many more meals she would be able to get out of him in the future.

He had changed out of the navy three-piece suit he’d worn to the precinct and instead opted for a gray cable-knit sweater that was pushed up at the elbows and dark jeans. Other than the sweats Malcolm wore when she stayed over, she mostly saw him in his crisp tailored suits. Dani found that she really liked him like this though. He looked very soft.

Moments ago, Malcolm had just told her that he loved her. As she told him, it was wonderful hearing him say it and though she’d teased him, the truth is that he had been showing her he loved her for awhile now.

Dani knew he loved her when he allowed her to hold him during his most vulnerable moments, knowing that he no longer had to carry his burdens alone. She knew it when he pushed mugs of hot Earl Grey into her hands after particularly tough cases. The ones involving young girls always hit her the hardest and whenever she grew quiet thinking of all the things she could’ve done to make the outcome less tragic, he never forced her to talk about it. He merely kissed her forehead and sat with her, knowing she’d talk when she was ready. She knew it when he talked to her about his tricky childhood, opening up about his deepest fear that he was somehow responsible for what happened to the girl in the box.

Malcolm looked up, catching Dani staring at him. She didn’t know what he’d seen in her face but his expression changed and it was as though a lightbulb had gone off in his head. Several emotions flickered across his face as he hurriedly pulled her up from her seat and dragged her into the living room where Leon Bridges was crooning soulfully from Malcolm’s stereo. 

––––––––––––––––––––––

Dani knew that Malcolm sometimes got this way and when he did, it was hard to keep up with him. She noted the strange yet excited light in his nearly translucent blue eyes and wondered what he was up to. He grabbed her shoulders, “Dani, I have to ask you something.”

“You’re not gonna ask me to throw axes are you?”

“What? No,” confusion clouding his face. “I just wanna tell you that you are everything. My everything. I would kill anyone in the world for you.”

“Bright, no.”

Malcolm saw the look that crossed her face and corrected himself quickly, “Or not–obviously. Forget I said that.” He was clearly screwing this up. “Okay, let me do this again.”

Dani waited for him patiently, “Go ahead.” 

“Right. So what I’m trying to say is that I love you more than I ever thought it was possible to love another human being.” 

_That was better_ , Malcolm thought to himself.

Dani smiled wide enough for her dimples to appear, “I feel the same.”

“Good. That’s good,” he murmured more to himself as he turned slightly to the antique cigar box on the table. The box held no cigars but instead something that could change everything for them.

Malcolm slowly pulled out a small box. A small box in that iconic turquoise blue color. Dani’s eyes widened. That couldn’t be what she thought it was. She watched in disbelief as Malcolm lowered himself to one knee. 

“Danika Katheryn Powell,” he said using her full name for the first time. Malcolm remembered how it had been like pulling teeth to get her to tell him. She’d rolled her eyes saying that it was a name befitting a pageant queen, not a Bronx-born detective. He disagreed, he thought it was pretty just like her.

Malcolm’s ice blue eyes were as earnest as she’d ever seen them. He was a man of many masks but in this moment, he hid nothing from her as he asked a question she never imagined hearing and certainly not on this day, “Will you marry me?”

Dani’s hands flew to her mouth, trying in vain to suppress her shock as well as the shakes that had taken control of her body. She nodded her head over and over, unable to summon enough voice to answer him. She held out her left hand to him and Malcolm noticed it was trembling as he slowly slid the ring he'd custom designed several weeks ago on her finger. One carat for each time she came to his rescue. He lovingly brushed his lips against her knuckles. 

“Please let me kiss you,” Dani said, finally able to speak. Her voice sounded breathless and watery to her own ears. Malcom didn’t have to be told twice as he kissed his fiancée for the first time. Their joyful tears and laughter mixed together, knowing that this was most assuredly a new beginning for the both of them. Something they’d both searched for separately but had only found together.

“And here I thought I was just coming over to be seduced by your roast chicken.” Dani’s left hand cupped his cheek. She loved the feeling of his rough stubble against her palm. She realized just then that this man; this beautiful, complicated, confusing and amazing man was truly hers forever. He was her fiancé and at some point he would be her husband. She couldn’t believe just how much her life had changed from five minutes ago.

Malcolm leaned into her touch, enjoying the coolness of her new ring and the warmth of her hand. He looked up at her through his thick fringe of nearly black lashes. “The night is still young,” he smirked and as if on cue, the oven timer went off. 

–––––––––––––––––––

Malcolm realized as they both made their way back into the kitchen that he got his wish. Next weekend, he would introduce Dani to his mother–and possibly his sister as his fiancée and whatever happened, they’d deal with it together. He knew everything about what just happened was unorthodox and the timing wasn’t at all normal but nothing in his entire life had ever felt so right.

In the not-so-distant past, Malcolm had thought that the reason why everything good in his life turned to dust in his hands was because he couldn’t be fixed. At the time, he didn’t know how wrong he was. He knew now that all he’d ever needed was someone who made him feel like he’d never been broken in the first place.

**Author's Note:**

> I was so overwhelmed with gratitude for all of the sweet comments and support for my last and first fic so I decided to try again once more, putting together a few of my headcanons and a couple ideas I had been entertaining. Also the song I used for the title by Leon Bridges is called "Coming Home." It's so lovely and retro-sounding that I could actually see it being played on the show.


End file.
